Last First Kiss {HP Next Generation}

Chapter Forty Nine

"So did you and Hope sort everything out or are you still going to act weird around her?"

Henry looked up from his breakfast plate right at Fergus, the next morning after he and Hope shared a lovely date out by the Black Lake.

"I wasn't acting weird!" He protested first. Fergus rolled his eyes.

"Yes you were, you always manage to make things weird when something isn't settling right for you, remember the fiasco you created just when you wanted to tell Hope how you felt about her. That dragged on way longer than it needed to because you wouldn't stop acting weird."

"That wasn't entirely my fault, remember McGregor was still around and-"

"And Hope has always been closest to you, so if something is bothering you, you know she would put you first before anybody." 

Fergus leaned forward and flicked Henry's forehead.

"Besides, you couldn't use McGregor as an excuse anymore considering he and Tori have been hanging out and getting extra close. I think it's safe to say that he's moved on from Hope,so the only reason you would be acting strange would be because of you being...you."

"Alright, alright." Henry placed his hands up to block another incoming flicking attack. "So I was acting weird, but it's over now because I talked with Hope about it last night."

"And?" Fergus urged him to go on.

"Well, it's not that she doesn't want to kiss me because she doesn't like me in that sense. I actually think it's because she's not ready for it just yet." Henry told him.

"What? Hope's always ready for anything, jumping from buildings, tickling a dragon-"

Henry snorted. "Yes, but this is something completely different from the usual daring things she does. "

"But didn't she kiss you first back you guys were like five?"

"Yes, but that was to give me cooties at the time."

"Well, tell her you want more cooties then." Fergus said causing Henry to laugh. But the boy shook his head.

"No, I'm not going to pressure her or anything,' Henry said. "When it happens it happens, it's as simple as that. As long as I know that she feels the same way, I'm perfectly fine with being patient."

"You're a saint, Henry, an absolute saint." Fergus smiled.

"No, that's Hope's Uncle George."

"Wha-"

"He's holey. Get it, like holy-"

"Ugh, I don't know why I hang out with you."

"Because you love us," Hope's voice rang out as she joined them at the table. "Sorry about the delay, gentlemen, but the Stella and Teddy situation is still not going well."

"Oh Merlin," Henry rubbed at his forehead. "Why can't they just get along and love each other? It's obvious to everyone, just shut up and snog already!"

"I think that's what led to the problems they're facing now, Ry." Hope said sitting beside him. "And of course, Eliza and I are stuck in the middle of this because they keep going back and forth talking to us as if we're supposed to come up with a solution. I'm about to consult with Peeves and prank the hell out of the two until they come to their senses."

"You mean until they're going...steddy?" Henry grinned at her.

The two laughed loudly with each other, while Fergus groaned and dropped his head to the table.

The whole school was buzzing as the teams for the Triwizard Tournament would be selected that evening. All those who wished to participate were able to place their names in the goblet, except for Henry and Hope. The two had stayed true to their word of not entering their names to keep their family and friends happy.

"It would have been great though, you know?" Hope said. "I know it was dangerous but from what Uncle Cedric and Uncle Harry told us about it...it sounded so exciting!"

She sat with Elliot and Henry with a disappointed look on her face.

"Dad thought it was great...until the end. And I think Harry felt it was horribly stressful from start to finish." Elliot told her. 

"Yeah but it's different now. You know? We get to be on a team and...ugh I'm so bummed out right now." She flopped back. 

"It'll be okay, Hope." Elliot chuckled. "We'll have just as much fun watching and we get to cheer on the Hogwarts team."

Henry and Hope gave the boy a look.

"Just trying to be supportive here." Elliot said. "Have either one of you seen Eliza or Stella for that matter?"

"I saw them this morning," Hope answered. "But I'm sure where one of them is, the other is there."

"I really wish this whole Stella and Teddy thing didn't happen." Elliot sighed.

Hope and Henry gasped. "What?!"

"No, not like that." he shook his head. "I meant, I just wish there wasn't so much drama around it. I mean, it's obvious now they both like each other, why can't they just get together and be done with it? You know, be happy."

"Because it's Stella and Teddy, Elliot." Henry said. "When is it ever simple between the two."

"Their relationship was founded on drama." Hope giggled. "But Uncle Teddy's been in love with Stella for like...forever."

"And how could you know that?" Elliot asked. "All they ever do is fight."

"I just know." The girl said. "Trust me."

Finally, when it came to the selection, the three schools were gathered in the room that held the goblet for the announcement. 

"I told you we should have gotten here earlier." Hope huffed at Fergus as he had been the one to delay them with his bathroom habits.

"I can't control that!" He argued.

"Come on, let's sit down and watch...look there's Stella and Eliza." He took a hold of Hope's hand and led her through the crowd of students until they reached the girl's cousins.

Sitting down first, he pulled Hope down to sit in his lap and wrapped his arms around her waist. His face leaned against her back as he let out a tired yawn.

"Poor sleepy, mermarauder." Hope chuckled before looking to Stella and Eliza. She wasn't about to dare ask where Teddy was, but she assumed he was somewhere in the room, probably in the company of Elliot.

"Are you guys excited?" Eliza looked over at them with a bright smile.

"What's there to be excited about?" Henry asked.

"Uh hello, what do you think we're all doing here? We get to find out who is going to be selected."

"What does it matter?" Hope grumbled. "We didn't get to enter our names."

"Well..you two didn't..."Eliza said before her voice trailed off and she looked forward.

Everyone looked to the girl, wide eyed, including Stella.

"Eliza, what did you do?" Stella asked her sister.

Eliza didn't answer as she continued to smile.